A Time To Give

Wow, wow, WOW.

I am most certainly in the holiday spirit!

Decorations up? Check!

Tree up? Check!

Shopping complete? Almost check!

Holiday festivities? Double check!

Christmas music? CHECK!

The holiday season is upon us, y'all. Instead of thinking about the material value of the holidays, I'm taking this holiday season with a new look. A look of faith.

I was just out and about doing some Christmas shopping. Normally, we tend to forget the true meaning of the holidays and focus on what we're hoping to receive. For me, this season is all about GIVING. As I was shopping and picking up gifts for my loved ones, I couldn't help but smile and get excited when thinking about their excitement and joy when they unwrap their gift.

My heart was filled with warmth because I knew that I would be making them smile.
I will be a part of their happiness.

That's the best feeling in the world.
Being able to bring someone else joy is a remarkable gift that we all hold within us and it's our duty to make use of it.

While in Barnes and Noble, the cashier asked me if I'd like to donate a book to children who were effected by Hurricane Sandy. Normally, I would pay no mind, the cashiers usually offer you things to make you spend more money, but I'm so glad I decided to listen. I donated a book (Monsters Inc. to be exact) and couldn't help but smile because I knew how much joy that will give one special little girl or boy at Christmas time.

What have you guys given to someone else during this time? You still have time!!

A few other acts of kindness I've done lately:

I wrote a Christmas card for a cancer patient in St. Jude's Children's Hospital.I know that a simple card will bring a smile to the child that receives it.  I ask that you keep them in your prayers and donate if you can.

At my church, we have this little Christmas tree towards the front called the "Giving Tree". Instead of being decorated in ornaments, it's decorated with tags. On the back of each tag is an item that a family is in need of. I decided that I wanted to help someone who is less fortunate than I, so I took two. One tag asked for socks for a little girl, the other a woman's sweater. Socks and sweaters will bring a smile to someone's face this Christmas. Think about that.

I will also be helping out with a food drive as it gets closer to the holidays.

My point isn't to show you how much of a saint I am. My hope is to inspire you.
No matter what holiday you celebrate, if any at all, take this holiday season and do something for someone else. No matter how big or how small, every act of kindness counts.

This Wednesday I was a VIP guest at the Rockefeller Christmas Tree lighting. WHAT AN EXPERIENCE  I feel so blessed to have been a part of something so amazing.

I am so excited because tomorrow I will be going to Lincoln Center to see the Nutcracker for the first time. I love my city! I'll be going with my mother and my aunt. I can't wait to experience such a magnificent show! What a way to get even MORE into the holiday spirit.

I love you all and I hope that you are getting into the holiday spirit.
I wish you all a happy and blessed week.

Love always,
Christina Bracco
PERSONAL TWITTER: https://twitter.com/ChristinaBracc0

What are you grateful for?

Hello all!

It shouldn't come as a shock to all of you that today's post is about gratitude. Yesterday was Thanksgiving, after all.

Thanksgiving is one of the big holidays in the U.S. (Gosh. I ate so much. Workouts are cranked up to the extreme level today. Diet starts back up tomorrow. HEALTHY EATING. CLEANSED PALLET).

Anyway...

As I woke up yesterday, I felt extremely sick. I had (and still have) some sort of head cold going on up there. I felt like being a mush and laying in bed until our meal was ready, but I pushed myself. I got up and carried on with the usual traditions. I watched the parade with my aunt and mother, watched March of the Wooden Soldiers, and helped to prepare our feast.

When you're feeling down and out, don't be afraid to push yourself. Push yourself as far as you can go.
I was glad I pushed myself. I would have been upset if I didn't take part in the usual traditions.

I realized another thing when I woke up yesterday. Thanksgiving is the day where everyone recognizes what they have and what they're grateful for. The truth is, we should be thankful every day. I try to make a habit of taking a moment each day to appreciate what I have and what I don't have yet. Why wait for one day of the year? Be thankful every day.

I'm also on a path of forgiveness lately. I'm reconnecting with people who I haven't interacted with in years and I've never been happier.
This year is turning into my best yet. I've grown and learned so much as a person. I'm coming into my own and appreciating the life I have. I've never been happier than I am right now and I'm glad I can share it with people I love and people who I've missed deeply.

Christmas spirit is in full swing. I took part in Black Friday today for the second time. It was interesting. Instead of going at midnight like last year, I went at 6am. I've never been more exhausted than I've been in the last two days, but it was worth it. I had a great time and got some shopping done.

That's one of my goals for the week! Get at least half of my shopping done.

I also have quite a few writing projects that I can't WAIT to announce! They'll be announced next week. Stay tuned! :)

This week is also all about writing. I'll be focusing on getting back into my book this week! Back in action, my friends.

I hope you remember to be thankful every day.
Gratitude is important for a fulfilled soul.

I can't wait to announce my new projects and I'll see you next week!

Safe travels and get into the holiday spirit!
I'm thankful for all of you. Thank you for giving me a platform to express my views. You're inspiring.
Love always,

Christina Bracco
PERSONAL TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/ChristinaBracc0

I Challenge You!!

Greetings and salutations!

What's going on in my life?

I've been going through this process in the last month (more-so, in the last few weeks) of transformation.

Here me out.

Last week I told you all about how I was finding myself more in tune with my spirituality and my faith.
Well, that has just been blossoming and growing stronger and stronger each day.

You all know how important I find spirituality to be. It's important to do things that make you happy and feed your soul.
It's important to keep yourself motivated, keep inspiration all around you, and to keep your creativity going.

INSPIRATION.

I find my motivation/inspiration in many different places. I continue my meditation, my walking. Reading/writing. Look at the world that surrounds you.
I work with my life coach, who keeps me SO motivated. I follow inspirational Twitters, I get emails, I watch shows.

There are SO many things you can do.

MUSIC!! (Hi. Go get Ed Sheeran's album. It's been inspiring me like crazy.)

I've been reading this book written by a pastor named Joel Osteen. It's called "I Declare: 31 Promises to Speak Over Your Life"
It's a 31 day process where you read one chapter a day and practice working on yourself.
It's been so amazing. It really puts things in perspective and gives you confirmation that fulfilling your dreams is what you were meant to do.

In reading this, I've decided to make my own challenge for YOU! (And me!)
Over the next seven days, I want you to think of one thing a day that you'd like to change about yourself and work on it!
NOW, I don't mean things such as: "lose weight, get a boyfriend, go to that party". NO. I mean positive, internal things. Like "becoming more organized, having more confidence, loving myself, writing that story I've been meaning to write"
Do things that will benefit your spirit and your soul! For the long run!

Check back in next week and let me know how it went! Next Friday, I'll write about my experience too!

As usual, thank you all for your love and support. You're all so awesome.
I hope you have an amazing week.
Happy Thanksgiving to my readers who celebrate!
(I'm totes looking forward to it.)

Lots of love and fuzzy thoughts,
Christina Bracco
Personal Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChristinaBracc0

Advice?

How's everyone doing?
I hope my east-coasters are slowly getting back to normal since Hurricane Sandy hit. I know I am!

This week has been super crazy for me. That's probably why this week FLEW by. Friday? I feel like I just wrote a blog yesterday!

Well ,where do I begin?

I've been on a spiritual journey in these past few weeks. I've been working a lot with meditation, keeping calm, inspiration, reading, and practicing my faith more.

To me, life is all about exploring and feeding your soul. Keeping your spirit alive and growing. Searching for yourself and the things that you love. Seeing things from a new light and responding to challenges in a different way.

Remember, things may not always happen when you want them to or how you want them to, but you WILL get what you're looking for in due time. Even things you didn't know you were looking for.
That's something that I've been working to accept during these past few weeks.
That and so much more.

I encourage you all to explore yourselves, listen to your hearts, explore your souls, and find your spirituality. It does wonders for you!

Secondly,
I'd like to thank everyone for their support with THPC. I'm slowly getting into posting more, it's just been crazy since Sandy.
Be sure to check out The Happy Place Campaign HERE: http://thehappyplacecampaign.tumblr.com/

The poetry blog is also getting back into routine!
Check out Tuesdays poem and Thursdays song HERE: http://christinabracco.tumblr.com/

Author Update:
I'm going through a bit of a rough patch in regards to my book.
I had an epiphany, if you will.
The idea and direction of my book has now changed.
I'm having a bit of a meltdown because I feel as though all the work I've put into it so far has been for nothing and I've wasted my time.
The plot is still the same, but I've done a few major alterations that cancel out 70% of what I have written thus far.
Do you guys have any advice on how to get through something like this? Trying to get through something that's out of your control?

I guess it's good in a way because that means that I'm growing and developing more.
It just really sucks.

But an exciting Author Update:
I have several great ideas for Children's Book's that I plan on putting in production in the next few months. Stay turned for a lot of exciting news about that!

I'm about to calm down, have some lunch, take a breather, and think through this.
I tell you, I'm really looking forward to meeting with my life coach this week.

I wish you all a lovely week. Stay safe and stay warm.
Hugs, kisses, and best wishes,
Christina Bracco

Personal Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ChristinaBracc0

After A Storm...

Hello Dear Readers!

Gosh. It has been a CRAZY week over here in NY. I'm sure most of you know about Hurricane Sandy hitting the East Coast Monday/Tuesday of this week.

As a New York native, I don't feel that we expected the storm to be what it was. I personally, have never seen anything like it. The wind was like nothing I've ever experienced before. Losing power all around you, looking out your window and seeing complete darkness, lightning, wires going on fire, no heat, no hot water, limited food.

I am thankful enough to live in an area of Staten Island where I, unlike many residents, didn't have to evacuate. I also live on an incline so the risk of flooding was also not an issue. However, living on a street full of large trees was incredibly worrisome. (Many of which came down).

All in all, I was without power for two days. Without any contact with the outside world. It was something I've never had to deal with for a long period of time before. It made me realize just how much we take for granted. Not being able to open the fridge, having to do everything by candlelight, no cell service, no heat or hot water, we don't truly realize how lucky we are.

My mother and I decided to get out of the house to check out how the neighborhood was looking. Trees, wires, debris, fences, pieces of homes, signs, all down. On every single block. To see people who had trees going through their homes, significant damage done to their property. It's incredibly heart wrenching

I sat in my car (which thankfully has enough gas to last me a while) and I charged my phone as much as I could while I listened to the news on the radio. To hear all of the devastation around NY/NJ was unbelievable.

When I finally regained power and turned on the news to see what was happening, I couldn't believe my eyes. Places in New jersey that I frequent during the summer, that I love going to ever year, completely underwater. All the homes that have been destroyed, fires, flooding, people crying on television because they've lost everything. Family member's homes ripped away from them. It's like nothing I've ever experienced before.

I've been thinking  a lot about volunteering. I will definitely be doing it around the holidays (they will be here before you know it, people)
But in the aftermath of this horrible storm, I definitely plan on volunteering throughout my city to help those who weren't as lucky as I was.
I encourage you all. DO WHAT YOU CAN. Even if it has nothing to do with the aftermath of the storm. Volunteer around your own cites.

When you take a shower today, remember that people are without hot water. When you turn on your lights, remember people are still without power all over.
BE THANKFUL. Don't take these things for granted. I know I won't anymore!

ANNOUNCEMENT TIME!!!!

The Happy Place Campaign is officially LAUNCHED!
I'm so very, very excited to start this project and I hope it does what I want it to. Follow and spread the word. I need your help!

You can find more information, as well as it's very first official post HERE: http://thehappyplacecampaign.tumblr.com/

The OFFICIAL THPC Twitter is HERE: https://twitter.com/THPCampaign

And I'm so very excited to wish those participating a happy start to National Novel Writing Month!!!
Not my Writing Buddy yet?
Hop to it! http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/participants/christina-bracco
I'm about to get writing!

Much love, many, MANY hugs,
Christina Bracco

Personal Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChristinaBracc0
Poetry Blog: http://christinabracco.tumblr.com/